The Milan Mash-Up

By Zap

You can imagine that in all the years since passionate cyclists and throttle twisters first began walking the aisles of the Esposizione Internazionale Ciclo Motociclo e Accessori (aka EICMA) back in 1914 that the evolution of the breed has been nothing less than dramatic. To think back to the level of technology that the conjoined industries would’ve highlighted at the show in the days prior to World War 1, and then fast-forward to what was on display last November is simply mind-boggling.

That more than a few of the domestic brands seen at EICMA (aka the Milan show) have roots dating back decades only drives the point home of what a treasure Italy is to bicycle and motorcycle enthusiasts alike.

And just as we have found in recent years with the annual bicycle-specific show (aka Eurobike) held each September in Friedrichshafen, Germany, the “e-bike creep” continues apace—not only with a surprising number of new entries but, better still, new designs and technologies.

In addition to the two days of industry-only attendance, thankfully, the EICMA show also has two days open for consumers, thus it remains the largest gathering of the two-wheeled industry and its enthusiasts. Hence, we have here another installment of the latest and greatest in e-bike technology that we spotted within the six massive halls filled with the most modern two-wheeled creations that exist. Until next year!

Founded in 1896 in Sweden, Husqvarna is now owned by KTM in Austria, and although “Husky” doesn’t have any e-moto bikes, they have jumped into the off-road e-bike market in a big way. www.husqvarna-bicycles.com

Ducati is just one of many motorcycle brands who have jumped on the e-bike bandwagon to help build their battery-powered future. As of now, the famous Italian brand has yet to show any e-moto models. www.ducati.com

Funny thing, but as popular as KTM bicycles are, they actually have no affiliation with KTM motorcycles since the latter licensed the name to the former decades ago. When it comes to battery-powered bikes, KTM is still showing off its $10,499 Freeride E-XC. www.ktm.com/e-ride/freeride-e-xc

Although they have yet to implement any e-bikes into their full-size line of motorcycles, Husqvarna is making good headway with the kids’ market with the $5500 EE-50 mini-bike.

In addition to the many manufacturers displaying their bikes for public consumption, the EICMA show traditionally attracts a plethora of design houses intent on displaying their bike for manufacturers’ consumption. Both of these bikes were built by the Chinese company Front Art.

n addition to their more traditional-looking e-road and e-MTB bikes, the Italian Fantic brand has this unique take on a fat-tired dual-purpose bike. www.fantic-bikes.com

Following in the tire tracks of their entry-level TC and TS models, Super Soco has launched the higher-end TC Max that has a claimed top speed of 62 mph and range of 68 miles. The belt-drive Max exhibits a quality build and is powered by a removable 72-volt, 45-Ah lithium battery. Another interesting feature is the linked braking with the Brembo disc brakes. www.supersoco.com

The UTV giant CFMoto had this big-wheeled concept e-ATV on display as a sign that they, too, are aware of the electric movement.

Well, it’s still Italy after all!

Multi-time MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi has teamed with Lapierre to supply bikes for his rider academy that trains up and coming throttle-twisters.

Fantic now has two versions of their Fazua-powered Passo Giau road bike with a new higher-end version sporting FSA’s K-Force electric wireless drivetrain.

THE E-BOXER HAS ARRIVED As usual, the BMW booth was one of the show’s largest and busiest. This year, alongside their wide range of street and dual-purpose motorcycles, sat two new and very exciting e-moto concept bikes. No longer is their years-old Evolution maxi scooter the sole e-powered two-wheeler, as it’s now been joined by the radical Vision DC roadster, which is actually a runner (as seen on BMW promotional videos). While BMW has not released any performance information for the Vision DC Roadster yet, they say it uses a 12.7-kWh battery module from the BMW i3 car, giving the C Evolution a range of 99 miles.

BMW obviously sought to pay homage to the past while embracing the future by mimicking the look of their signature opposed twin-boxer engine. The Vision DC roadster employs side shrouds that double as cooling elements that extend outward under acceleration.

Borrowing from its gas-powered siblings, the DC has an exposed shaft drive and anti-dive Dual Lever front fork. There are no foot pedals, as both brakes are applied by hand controls.

THROUGH THE EYES OF ITALY

If there was one bike on display in Milan that truly epitomized the melding of design, future concept and Italian design, it was this wild BMW concept bike that sprang from the pen of industrial designer Antonio Sassi. Could this really be the e-moto bike of the future?

Nito Bikes has been producing small-scale, urban-friendly e-bikes and scooters for a few years, and at EICMA, they rolled out their boldest effort yet with this concept bike that enjoys Supermoto styling with more than enough front brake power. www.nitobikes.it

There is no doubt that the modern age of e-bikes brings with it a liberating sense of new design and usage. This city bike from NIU Aero integrates its Bafang motor and Panasonic battery nicely.

Kymco is one of the world’s largest scooter manufacturers, and following last year’s roll-out of their SuperNEX that had a top speed of 155 mph, at EICMA this year they introduced a more entry-level version in the RevoNEX. Both bikes are still in the concept stage and have six-speed transmissions. www.kymco.com

As this twin-shocked retro bike illustrates, not every e-bike design was easy to understand.

KAWASAKI JUMPS INTO THE E-MOTO FIRE

Kawasaki used the EICMA show to reveal their first attempt at an electric motorcycle. The mid-sized sport bike is called the Kawasaki EV, and while the concept bike may or may not be headed for production, it’s pretty far along to be a mere test mule.

The EV starts off with a production trellis frame borrowed their popular Ninja 650. Interestingly, unlike most electric motorcycles on the market, they put in a 4-speed gearbox with a clutch.

Kawasaki claims that it has a range of 62 miles, and the motor puts out 27 horsepower during acceleration, and half of that is for cruising. It uses CHAdeMO fast-charging and can use 120 or 240 volts to recharge. With these specs, it’s definitely not ready for market yet, but it’s going to be exciting to see where the Japanese motorcycle brand goes with it.

2020 Sea Otter Classic Gets New Dates
Due to the Coronavirus

It is official! We have new dates in place for Sea Otter 2020. Here is a screenshot from the President, Frank Yohannan. For all the latest updates and new schedule, please check out the official site of the 2020 Sea Otter Classic.

THERE ARE SO MANY WAYS TO GETELECTRIC BIKE ACTION

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Available from the Apple Newsstand for reading on your iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch.

Fully Charged

Santa Barbara Ride

I don’t go on a lot of organized group rides, but Yamaha invited me to participate in the Ride SB100, a series of fun rides through the roads around Santa Barbara. This was the first year the ride officially had an e-bike class, and Yamaha was sponsoring it. I thought, how could I say no?

The SB100 offers four different routes. There’s an easy 34-miler, a 100-kilometer, a 100-kilometer that included a daunting 3,000-foot elevation climb called Gibraltar, and finally an official “century ride” for 100 miles.

I don’t do long rides with 4000-plus feet of climbing often. The 34-miler seemed too easy. I’ve never ridden a full century, so that left the other two to choose from. The extra 3000 feet of climbing, even with an e-bike, scared me away from Gibraltar, so I went with the regular 100-kilometer. I can ride 62 miles, right? And Yamaha promised extra batteries if I needed them. So, I signed up for it.

HEADING OUT

The 100-mile group set off bright and early at 7 a.m. while it was chilly, but it wouldn’t stay that way. Our 100-kilometer group left at 7:30. Between the signs and all the experienced riders who have done this more than once, it was pretty easy to know where to go.

I talked e-bikes with other people on e-bikes and with several who weren’t. I tried not to pass too many pedal bikes on climbs, especially the steep ones, but sometimes I had no choice. I got reactions from snickers to “I wish I had one of those right now!” to one kid riding with his brother and dad asking if I could tow him up.

Ride SB100 ride and riding the streets of Hollywood with the LAPD officers

THANKS, GOVERNOR

While on both the Ride SB100 ride and riding the streets of Hollywood with the LAPD officers, I was reminded of how bad our roads are becoming. I’m spoiled when riding a bike with suspension, but with rigid, unforgiving aluminum or carbon bikes like the ones most of the riders on the Ride SB100 were on (mostly road bikes), the cracks, bumps and potholes are painful—and can cause damage to wheels, cause flats, etc.

California’s Governor, Gavin Newsom, just signed an executive order taking away the money from our newest gas tax to fund other projects. We the people voted that tax in when it was specifically to only be used for road and infrastructure maintenance. Now we’re not only paying the highest gas tax in the nation, but our roads are going
to keep getting worse. Thanks for that, guy!

Later in the ride, I passed a few people, then caught up with an older gent who I estimated was in his mid-to-late 60s. I noticed his rear hub looked a bit larger than normal, then saw the e-bike designation on his bib. I pulled up closer and struck up a conversation. His name was Bob, and he was riding a sweet-looking Wilier Cento1 drop-bar e-bike. It was so stealth-like, I might never have noticed except for the hub motor, the Lilliputian-like Ebikemotion X35, had a white sticker still attached, showing off its bigger-than-normal hub size.

REALLY JUST A KID

Bob, it turns out, wasn’t in his 60s; he was 78! He still rides a regular road bike, but he finds he likes the Wilier, which weighs a scant 26 pounds, to be the one he goes to first. He and his wife love to travel and take their bikes. He was telling me they’re going to Kona soon, and that he’s going to buy an extra battery and have it shipped there since he can’t carry a battery with him on the plane. His zest for life and adventure was inspiring!

I parted ways with him at an aid station while he refueled. At this point, everything was spread out quite a bit, and cyclists along the route were few and far between. I decided to go it alone and just follow the route signs. I missed one somewhere and didn’t see any signs for a while. I pulled out Google Maps, and I was going further away from the finish of the ride, not moving closer. I used the app to get me going in the right direction, finally finding a sign. This had taken me over 10 miles off-course, so I was guaranteed at least a 72-mile adventure.

On the ride through the beautiful UCSB campus in Goleta, which is a very bike-friendly campus with bike racks full of bikes everywhere and a bike path with roundabouts to help with traffic, I caught up with a group of women all on Pedego Interceptors. They were all wearing Sena communication helmets and having a grand time on the ride, enjoying the scenery and having a good conversation.

I talked e-bikes with them for a while, then kept going when they took a break for a few of them to swap batteries. They had all brought three each, and this was their first swap, which was less than 5 miles from the finish.

When I finally crossed the finish line my legs were spent, but it had been a great day, and it was all thanks to Yamaha for making it happen. Although e-bikes have yet to catch on with these type of group rides, it was obvious that there is an active community of e-bike riders looking for rides to enjoy and meet other e-bike fans. I highly recommend this type of ride to all of you.

TALK TO ME

I’d love to hear some great reader stories about how e-bikes have changed your life. E-mail me stories
and pictures at tonyd@hi-torque.com if you have them, or send them in snail mail or via passenger pigeon.

THERE ARE SO MANY WAYS TO GETELECTRIC BIKE ACTION

In print, from the Apple newsstand, or on your Android device, from Google.
Available from the Apple Newsstand for reading on your iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch.

EWS Three-Round e-Bike Series

The all-new EWS-E will see three rounds in France, Switzerland and Italy.

New for 2020 is EWS-E – the three-round e-bike series that kicks off this year in Valberg, France before heading to Zermatt in Switzerland and then concluding alongside the Trophy of Nations in Finale.

All events are on a first-come, first-serve basis through enduroworldseries.com so being ready to enter as soon as they open is strongly advised.

Looking Forward To The Sea Otter Classic 2020?

The Sea Otter Classic is the annual event that, for cyclists at least, kicks off the official beginning of the spring season. Started in 1991 at Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey, California, the event was originally a small mountain bike-specific race called the Laguna Seca Challenge. Over the years it continued to grow in size and significance, and now, nearly three decades later, it is a massive event, drawing some 74,000 people over the four days, as well as 9600 athletes.

The inner expo area features most known bike brands and products. This year the number of companies represented was up a whopping 34 percent over last year, credited partly to the demise of Interbike, the big American bicycle show and convention.

WHAT’S TRENDING

We saw several e-bike trends this year. On the mountain biking side, there were many companies following Fantic’s lead and experimenting with bikes that use a 29-inch front wheel and a 27.5-inch-plus rear wheel. That offers a better angle of attack by the front wheel to surmount obstacles and better grip by the rear wheel. We’ve ridden a few, and so far we have liked the ride.

Another notable addition to the U.S. market is Germany’s Fazua motor. As of this writing, 35 bike companies in Europe run Fazua motors in their e-bikes. The Fazua system integrates the motor and battery in one unit that clicks into the downtube. The whole thing weighs about 8 pounds or less than half that of a traditional motor and battery. In the U.S., the German powerplants are still in need of certification, but the better part of a dozen companies, including Fantic, Bulls, Cube, Look and others are jumping on the bandwagon with some of their models, on everything from commuters to road bikes to gravel bikes.

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

Spectators can watch some of the top athletes from around the world compete in all the disciplines of road racing and mountain biking—from criterium to circuit to downhill, dual slalom, cross-country and more. There are so many events packed into the four days that it’s a veritable three-ring circus going on all the time.

There are demo bikes from most manufacturers, tracks for kids (even down to balance bike level), a pump track for older kids and adults, an e-bike demo track, a trials show featuring Danny MacAskill and lots of racing. Friday evening is always set aside for the e-bike race, which was knocked up a notch this year as USA Cycling sanctioned the event, meaning points—and cash—were awarded.

There are so many things to see—from new products to free stuff to cycling in every discipline. Four days isn’t enough to take it all in! We were introduced to several new bikes and shown more bikes we had seen but weren’t out yet, so we’re sharing them here.

Riders could demo e-bikes on the e-bike-specific track, which featured a really steep hill and some fast turns.

Now, boasting close to 600 exhibitors, the Sea Otter has become America’s de-facto bike show and festival.

More entertainment for everyone. Danny MacAskill and friends put on several shows daily. They have incredible riding skills with great showmanship.

The youngest kids’ area even allowed balance bikes.

Bulls’ new Grinder EVO Light is based on their Grinder series of bikes and features their mid-level components, Monkey Link connectors that are pre-wired for lights, and will come out for the 2020 model year. www.bullsebikes.com

Ghost is a German brand under the Accell umbrella and is sold exclusively in REI stores, and in MEC in Canada. This Hybride SLAMR is aimed at all-mountain riders and goes for $5999. It features 140mm of travel with a coil-over shock. Power provided by a Shimano STePS E8000 motor and 504-watt-hour battery run through SRAM NX Eagle components. A lower-spec version featuring Shimano XT components will retail for a grand less. www.ghost-bikes.com/en/

Intense Cycles had a fleet of their bright yellow Tazer e-MTB ready to ride—the Tazer as a 29er front wheel and a 27.5-plus wheel on the back. Aimed at enduro riders, it has 160mm of front travel coming from a Fox Factory 36 shock, and 140mm in the rear provided by a Trunion-mounted Fox DPX2. The battery is a stock Shimano battery designed for external use, mounted inside the oversized downtube to make battery swaps easy and keep it protected. https://intensecycles.com

“There are so many things to see—from new products to free stuff to cycling in every discipline. Four days isn’t enough to take it all in!”

Haro was out in full force with their newest flagship I/O 9 that features a coil shock, a STePS E8000 motor, a 29er front wheel and 27.5-inch rear wheel with a plus tire on the rear. https://harobikes.com

You can see the adjustability of the coil-over shock, as well as the power button and charge port on top of the motor.

You can see the adjustability of the coil-over shock, as well as the power button and charge port on top of the motor.

Donnelly showed off their new eG/C gravel e-bike, which is powered by an almost imperceptible Fazua motor system. They’re aiming at the commuter who likes to get to work in the dirt at least part of the time. www.donnellycycling.com

HPC’s new Factory Team Edition features a Bafang mid-drive to meet exact Class 1 standards, and they’re making it unmodifiable. The bike’s handling is great, and it’s lighter than most full-suspension bikes on the market. http://hi-powercycles.com

The direct-to-consumer Fezzari brand now has an e-bike to call their own. They didn’t like any of the current e-MTBs, so they designed theirs from the ground up. The top of the line offers a SRAM NX Eagle drivetrain and is priced at $5599. www.fezzari.com

Wildsyde was here with their fat-tired cruisers. The battery is in the tank, and this uses a 500-watt Bafang rear hub motor that was plenty powerful from our test ride. They offer customer-designed tank decals that can be purchased to truly customize the look of the bike. www.wildsyde.com

This is a prototype of Forestal’s new 2020 bike. They are making their own motor, and final geometry hasn’t been set, hence the camo to cover its shape. https://forestal.com

The Fazua booth had on display several of the North American-sold brands that are using their motor. In Europe, there are already 35 brands using their motors. https://fazua.com/en/

This is a cutaway view of the Fazua interface, where the power transfers from the motor to the bottom bracket. It completely gets disengaged when it cuts off, so there’s virtually no drag from the motor while pedaling.

This is a cutaway view of the Fazua Evation motor inside the case. You can see how tightly packed the components are and the Rosenberger plug on the inside where the battery connects.

Details on the XF Carbon include red anodizing on the brakes, discs, spoke nipples and rear suspension linkage.

BMC had their AMP line of e-bikes, including their new commuter line, powered by a Shimano STEPS E6100 motor and the Trail Fox e-MTB, which is powered by a Shimano STEPS E8000 motor. https://us-en.bmc-switzerland.com/

BETWEEN THE TAPE

More bikes, more riders, more cash

For the past four years the Sea Otter Classic has held an e-bike race, which has grown in numbers and popularity each year. This year USA Cycling came on board as the official sanctioning body of the race, which dovetails nicely with the upcoming UCI-sanctioned World Championship e-MTB race to be held this August in conjunction with the 2019 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships at Mont-Saint-Anne in Québec, Canada.

Drew Engelmann inspects one of the bikes beforehand.

One of the best things about the e-bike race is the industry support that provides participants the chance to race a demo bike. Pre- and post-race bike inspections were handled by officials from the four allowed motor brands; Bosch, Yamaha, Shimano and Brose. This is the first time for this, and we think a great step to ensure fairness.

At one point all classes were on the course simultaneously, which made for some crowded space.

“With the growing popularity of e-bikes and the UCI including the discipline in the World Championships, we are working with events, industry partners and athletes to assist with providing guidelines for e-bike events in the U.S.,” said Chuck Hodge, USA Cycling’s Chief of Racing and Events. Chuck was on hand to observe and learn as the industry strives to ensure a fair playing field.

Fans and critics alike gathered along the hardest climb of the course.

Probably the biggest news for the weekend was the $3000 pro purse that was split evenly between the men’s and women’s pro fields. Former motorcycle enduro champion Charlie Mullins won the Men’s Pro class, and Caroline Mani won the Women’s Pro class.

The race gets more refined every year. We expect it to grow, especially since it’s now a sanctioned event, and there’s a chance to win a nice paycheck.

THE REAL DEAL

Women’s pro winner Caroline Mani brings the resume

Caroline Mani and her Haibike AllMTN 6.0 won the Women’s Pro class.

EBA: Of all the riders competing, you undoubtedly have the most racing experience.

Caroline Mani: Yes, I have been racing for a while in mountain bike, road and cyclocross. I am the five-time French national cyclocross champion, and in 2016 I was a silver medalist at the Cyclocross World Championships. I have also medaled at some mountain bike World Cup events

EBA: When was your first electric bike race?

CM: I have been coming to the Sea Otter to race since 2011, and since I love to race, I entered the first e-bike race here three years ago and have won each year.

EBA: You’re from France but now live in Colorado. How did that transition come about?

CM: While I was racing I also went to business school, and I passed all my classes except for the English language class, so I moved to America and interned at Crankbrothers and SRAM.

EBA: Tell us about your bike.

CM: I’m riding the Haibike Xduro AllMtn 6.0 this year, which has a Bosch motor. It is a Class 1 e-bike, so after 20 mph the power assist quits and you’re on your own. I also have a 2018 Haibike XDURO AllMtn 8.0 that has a Yamaha motor. The bike I raced is completely stock. But if I’m able to race the UCI e-Bike World Championships this year, I will make some modifications with lighter pedals, crank and tires.

EBA: What is the best piece of advice you’d give a rider new to riding e-bikes?

CM: If you want to race, you need to practice. An e-bike is much different than a regular mountain bike. You have to learn how to utilize the assistance of the e-motor. The weight is greater, so you can’t jump-pull up the front wheel. For example, if you want to bunny-hop onto the sidewalk, you have to use different timing and skills. And while you have assistance, you still have to be fit to perform.

EBA: How would you describe this year’s Sea Otter course?

CM: It was not super technical and it was super fast, so you hit the Class 1 e-bike’s 20-mph capacity quickly.

EBA: Where do you see the future of e-bike racing?

CM: I see both sides as a racer and as a bike shop employee. The growth of the e-bike market is pretty impressive. If we can put more people on bicycles by using e-bikes, then I think that’s great. Is it better to be on the couch doing nothing or buy an e-bike? For some people, the fitness needed for a regular mountain bike is too much or for older people whose health requires assistance to exercise.

EBA: How much training do you do?

CM: Never enough, right? When I was racing full-time, it was of course easy to get in all the miles, but now that I have to pay the bills and work full-time, it’s much harder. Luckily the bike shop is cool with me taking time off to travel to the races, but when I’m here, it comes down to fitting in what I can. In addition to on the bike training, I try to run 10–16 miles a week, and I also commute to work. I have backpack on and look like a tourist, but you have to do it.

A THROTTLE TWISTER JUMPS IN

Charlie Mullins brings his winning ways to the e-bike circuit

Charlie Mullins won the Men’s Pro class among a very large field.

EBA: What do you do for a living?

Charlie Mullins: I actually have my hand in a lot of things. We have a family-owned bicycle shop, and we’re heavily involved in the motorcycle industry with MotoTees that produces event merchandise for the AMA Outdoor National Series and the Grand National Cross-Country Series. I race bikes on the side, and I also work as the trainer for the Factory KTM off-road guys and Aldon Baker on the dirt bike side of things.

EBA: What is your competitive background?

CM: I rode for the Factory KTM off-road team as a professional dirt bike racer for 10 years, and then had a career-ending injury in 2014. I broke both my wrists and spent a couple of years trying to get back to race form on the dirt bike, but my wrists were just too bad, so I had to retire from dirt bike racing. I was always into cycling and mountain biking for my cross-training, and it was just a good transition. I love racing mountain bikes.

EBA: What is your best traditional cycling achievement?

CM: I won Category 1 cross-country at the USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Championships in 2017 at Snowshoe, West Virginia.

EBA: When was your first electric bike race?

CM: I did a few AMA GNCC races that included some e-bike races at their motorcycle events last year. For this year, since I already go to all the GNCC races and Specialized has now signed on as a presenting series sponsor, it all kind of came together. The first race this year was in March in Georgia, and two weeks before Sea Otter, there was a race in North Carolina. I ended up winning both, so I already had a few races under my belt before Sea Otter.

I feel like e-bike racing is natural for me. It’s still a bicycle, but I think there’s a bit of technique needed—being in the right gear and being set up properly. I enjoy the e-bike, which goes a bit faster than a non-assist mountain bike, especially at a GNCC.

EBA: How many times a week do you ride your e-bike versus a traditional bike?

CM: Honestly, I don’t really ride a mountain bike or my Specialized Levo. I do all my training on the road or a few reasons: I’ve worked with a cycling coach for a few years, and as busy and hectic as my work and family schedule can be, it’s just convenient. I spend roughly 10–12 hours per week on the bike. As far as bike skill, I don’t really worry about given my dirt bike background. I don’t lack any technical or downhill ability, so I just focus on getting good and productive workouts.

EBA: How would you describe the Sea Otter e-bike event?

CM: Sea Otter was a lot different than a GNCC. We rode on the paved circuit, so there were a lot of flat sections. A GNCC isn’t even like a regular XC MTB race; it’s more of a rugged off-road—roots, rocks and pretty gnarly terrain. The speeds at a GNCC are a little slower, so you can utilize the power of the e-bike more. For me at Sea Otter, I wasn’t really focusing on cadence or even heart rate. It was such a short race, it was kind of an all-out sprint. I was trying to push as hard as I could, especially up the hills trying to get the bike up to 20 mph wherever I could. I had a lot of fun with it.

EBA: What is the best piece of advice you’d give a rider new to electric bike riding?

CM: It’s all about finding balance between your power and the bike’s power. A Class 1 e-bike’s motor shuts off at 20 mph, so it’s almost better to hover at that 20-mph mark instead of trying to push past it.

EBA: What race organizing body do you feel should be overseeing electric bicycle racing, the UCI/USA Cycling or FIM/AMA?

CM: I think it’s pretty cool that the AMA and GNCC were the first to recognize e-bikes with a national championship. I don’t know all the legalities, but I think there is the potential to have a USA Cycling National Championship, and it’s cool to see them getting on board. For me, this year’s big goal is to win the UCI World Championship e-bike event at Mont-Sainte-Anne.

EBA: Do you think e-bikes are better suited to compete on the same courses as regular XC mountain bikes or courses intended for off-road motorcycles?

CM: I think more technical terrain that has a lot of rocks and roots, like a traditional dirt bike trail, is more fun on an e-bike. Even more fun than the Sea Otter MTB XC course, which I also raced on my regular mountain bike on Sunday. But, I’ve always found California to not be that technical. Being from the East Coast, I like big boulder rocks and slippery roots—and I think that’s really where the e-bike can shine with its beefier suspension and tires. You can really charge and go fast, almost like a dirt bike pace.

EBA: Where do you see the future of e-bike racing?

CM: The hardcore [traditional] cyclists seem to have issues with e-bikes. I’m not really sure why. I think they’re fun. And, I feel like I actually work harder riding the e-bike than I do my regular bike. But for the long-term, I’d like to see it recognized as a bigger thing around the world. At Sea Otter this year, the e-bike vibe seemed really positive, and there were a lot of pros and amateurs racing.

THERE ARE SO MANY WAYS TO GETELECTRIC BIKE ACTION

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After his electric bike racing experience, we felt compelled to ask him what the event was all about. Scroll down and see what Dre had to say.

Q: We’re curious to hear your thoughts about racing the first-ever E-MTB World Championship. Was it everything you thought it would be?

A: Was it everything I thought it would be – It was more, not lame in the least. They put on a great course — physical and technical both up and down. This was no place for someone who isn’t a real mountain biker – full gas the whole time and puckered properly in the descents! And fun! The climbs required every skill under the sun from singletrack climbing at speed, with heavy breathing thrown in, But mostly hard and a bit scary! Riding like that was pretty sick, like being part Nino and part Melamed. The race time was around an hour and twenty minutes. It was just enough to be a real throttle cracker, but not a death march. I would certainly consider doing the race again.

THERE ARE SO MANY WAYS TO GET

ELECTRIC BIKE ACTION

In print, from the Apple newsstand, or on your Android device, from Google.
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The Epic Bikepark Leogang Opens Today

A lot has been happening ahead of the UCI Downhill Mountain Bike World Championships 2020 in the Bike Mecca of Saalfelden Leogang. The region is investing over one million Euros into its mountain bike infrastructure. The result of that investment is four new trails and a 5,000m² pump track including a jump and dirt jump line. The 2019 season also sees an additional gondola – the Steinbergbahn – transporting mountain bikers and hikers to the top of the Asitz mountain. With so many changes happening, it is also time to rebrand the bikepark. Consequently, the Austrian bikepark will open its doors as The Epic Bikepark Leogang on May 10, 2019.

With the Steinberg Line and the Antonius Trail, two of the four new trails are being constructed directly within The Epic Bikepark Leogang and will both be opened this summer. The other two trails – the Forsthof Trail and Schwarzleo Trail – on the other hand, are hand-built singletrails and will expand Saalfelden Leogang’s singletrail network outside of the bikepark. The 5,000m² pump track with its jump and dirt jump lines is being constructed together with Velosolutions in the Riders Playground at the bottom of the bikepark. Furthermore, the Steinbergbahn will serve as a second lift to access the bikepark starting in May.

Those who can’t wait for the official opening of The Epic Bikepark Leogang on May 10, can look forward to a limited pre-opening as part of Saalfelden Leogang’s “April! April! Special.” From April 13 to April 22, the bottom half of the bikepark will be opened, while skiers can still enjoy the snow and pistes further up the mountain.

Outside of the new trails and offers, The Epic Bikepark Leogang will once again host several world-class events throughout the season. The Out of Bounds Festival including the Mercedes-Benz UCI Downhill Mountain Bike World Cup will return from June 7-9, 2019, while the second edition of the BIKE Festival Saalfelden Leogang will be held on September 13-15, 2019.

Steinberg Line by FOX (opening summer 2019)

The flowy Steinberg Line by FOX will be opening at the beginning of summer 2019. Starting right at the top of The Epic Bikepark Leogang, the 10km-long line snakes through the forest to the valley 969m below. With its numerous berms and turns and an average gradient of 9%, the new line is perfect for families and beginners. Advanced and expert riders can however also enjoy numerous tables, side hits and beautiful views of the “Leoganger Steinberge” along the fast and flowy line.

Antonius Trail (opening at the end of June 2019)

The Antonius Trail is a true highlight for riders, who enjoy challenging and technically demanding singletrails and the second new trail within The Epic Bikepark Leogang. The natural, tight and demanding trail starts just a few meters after the entrance to the existing Flow Link. Snaking through the dense forest on a length of 1.4 kilometres with a vertical drop of 169m, the Antonius Trail then merges with the new Steinberg Line by FOX.

Schwarzleo Trail (hand-built singletrail – already finished)

The natural, hand-shaped singletrail (difficulty S1-S2) starts just above the Forsthofalm and takes mountain bikers through a beautiful forest into the Schwarzleo valley. Across a distance of 1.8 kilometres, riders encounter several Northshore elements, technical switchbacks and long, flowy sections. Half-way down the trail, the forest suddenly clears and reveals a stunning panoramic view of the “Leoganger Steinberge” across the valley. The easiest way to reach the new trail is by climbing the 230 vertical meters to the Hotel Forsthofalm by following the LE 01| Forsthofalm-Route from the bottom of the Asitz lift station. Those, who still have some gas left in the tank after making it down the trail, can head up the climb again and try the newly-built Forsthof Trail (opening at the end of June) as well.

Forsthof Trail (hand-built singletrail – opening end of June)

The Forsthof Trail could just as well be located in Middle Earth. Passing towering rock formations and crossing several streams, the new 2-kilometre-long hand-built singletrail leads riders through an enchanted forest on its way down into the valley. Just like the new Schwarzleo Trail, the Forsthof Trail starts right next to the Hotel Forsthofalm and can be reached by following the LE 01| Forsthofalm-Route with its climb of 230 vertical meters from the bottom of the Asitz lift. Once riders have made it the bottom, they can choose to either return to the bottom of the Asitz or head back up the climb to try out the new Schwarzleo Trail as well.

E-BIKES IN BENTONVILLE

The word out of Arkansas is that the town made famous by Walmart (or vice-versa) will be hosting a firsttime e-bike festival for both public and industry consumption on June 6–9, 2019. The initial plan is to attract enough e-bike brands so that a large demo fleet will be available for consumers to ride in the city and local trails. Of note is the fact that Class 1 e-bikes are legal on all paved and natural-surface trails, including singletrack, in and around Bentonville and the city of Bella Vista.

THE BOOGALOO FINALE

Year two closed with an eye on 2019. As the sun sets on the second year of the Troy Lee Designs/Bosch Boogaloo races, the final two events were action-packed into two weekends that bookended the Interbike show.

The finish line had a crazy step-down jump that some saw fit as a place for style.

Unlike the previous rounds where they ran split classes to qualify (eliminating half of each group to go on to a main), the race format changed to a two-moto (combined score) format. This is the way motocross races are run, and Troy thinks it gives a fair chance to racers who are consistently fast and knocks out those who just go hard in the first race.

As this series matures, it’s going to get more and more exciting. There are great prizes for winners and a nice pro purse, and as competitive as it can be, as Troy would say, “It’s all about having fun!”

At all Boogaloo races, riders can select a demo bike from any of the bike companies present and race that bike. Here a rider is setting up a bike with the help of the guys from Haibike.

There was a Pro feature, a required climb up what is normally a downhill bridge. After the first lap, there was no requirement to ride up this section, and only one rider did it after that.

THERE ARE SO MANY WAYS TO GET ELECTRIC BIKE ACTION

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E-bike powerhouse Bosch and legendary designer Troy Lee have set up quite a race series this year, and it keeps growing. Where they had two races last year, the number of races has doubled for 2018. The first one was at Vail Lake near Temecula, California. This one was in Big Bear at the Snow Summit Resort in conjunction with the Crafts N Cranks festival.

The back corner had a unique and very steep climb out of it that proved to be a bit of an equalizer.

NEWFOUND LOVE

Last year the same race was scheduled, but it was dropped because the Forest Service said no to e-bikes. However, in a growing sign of the times, this year they had a change of heart and let the event happen as scheduled.

The track was significantly longer than either of those at Vail Lake or Mammoth. Replete with wooden bridges, an interesting huge berm with a steep climb at the back, a big tabletop that some riders are getting stylish air over, and a tight chicane that the most skilled are taking with quite a bit of speed. Unlike Vail Lake’s course, there was no big climb involved. Each track had its own distinct personality.

The start line was at the lowest point, so nabbing the holeshot required the power of muscle and machine in tandem. Once at the first corner, the riders run three laps on to qualify for the main event in each class. There are three classes; Youth, Open and Pro. The kids racing Youth class are doing it for a Troy Lee gift bag full of goodies. Open class gets a set of Bosch tools. Pro class gets cash plus a set of Bosch tools. There was a lot on the line. Riders picked their bike during the demo before the race or were allowed to bring their own, provided it was a Class 1 bike (20 mph, no throttle) and passed inspection. We did note that many of the top finishers were riding Focus bikes.

The corners were tight, especially for the speeds of the top riders.

THE POWER CONTROVERSY

As each rider crossed the finish line in the final, officials randomly checked the bikes to make sure they were legal Class 1 bikes. That means no throttles, and the motor cuts off at or before 20 mph. Lance Nelson was racing a Hi-Power Cycles Scout. He came across the line fifth, meaning a paycheck and a set of Bosch tools. Given the brand’s reputation for highpowered hot-rod bikes, it was hardly a surprise that his bike was chosen for a check. The Scout’s original spec can get it pretty far over 20 mph, per customer desire.

Jason Ganske rails a corner.

As a new tradition, the winning pro not only gets his prize money and tools, he gets to keep the checkered flag. Turner Conway celebrates his hardearned victory.

The test ride came up at over 20 mph, disqualifying the bike. We talked to the guys at HPC afterwards, and they said they carefully reprogrammed it to cut at or below 20 mph. An argument ensued, and the promoter stepped in and offered to take a second test ride on the bike, and he came back with it being legal, which restored Lance’s fifth-place finish.

RACING AGAINST LEUKEMIA

Jason Ganske, an up-and-coming 17-year-old racer who was diagnosed with prepubescent lymphoblastic leukemia over three years ago. Although he’s still going through chemotherapy to ensure the disease is in remission, he’s still racing while having the treatments. It’s amazing that he’s raced two of the Boogaloo races less than a week after chemo treatments both times. That’s the time when the ravages of chemo hit hardest and the side effects are at their worst. What’s far more amazing is how he’s done in those races. In Vail Lake, he won his heat race and earned second in the main. At Snow Summit, he won both!

It’s incredible that he’s able to ride at all, much less race at a high level. We asked him what that’s like and how his training has been.

“Mountain biking is one of those things, if you miss like three days, you’re fitness is going downhill. So, if you’re not pedaling or training for three days, you’re just slowing down. It gets tough, because you get to that point where you can start building back up to your best potential, you get chemo. I was getting chemo all the time for a while, then it got to the point where I was just doing that once a month. I’ve been getting that for about two and a half years. You kind of start feeling better, you get going again, then you get hit with another chemo.

“When you get chemo, sometimes it would take a week or a week and a half to recover, even to be able to really train hard. It’s definitely tough. It’s been helpful, though, because I’ve had a coach the entire time who has been able to give me training workouts that I can try and do even if I’m not feeling great.

“I remember being told in the hospital, ‘You’re not going to be able to ride your bike for a while.’ Now that I kind of rode my bike anyway, it makes you appreciate how much you have! The ability to go out and be free and ride your bike and do whatever you want; in that aspect it’s nice. You kind of take it for granted. It’s kind of crazy to step back and think about what it’s like without that, like I did for the few months that I couldn’t ride.”

Jason has an incredibly positive attitude, as you might guess. He wouldn’t be riding, let alone winning, without one.

By the time you read this, he will have finished the last of his chemo. We can’t wait to see what level he achieves when he’s off the chemo!